India vs Australia Test series: After England debacle, Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has revealed that the team management has asked for couple of practice matches for the Australia series.

New Delhi: There has been and still have been criticisms launched at Team India for their lack of practice sessions ahead of the two overseas tours that they have had in 2018, both of which has resulted in defeats. However, on Thursday, Indian head coach Ravi Shastri revealed that the team management has put forth a request to BCCI to arrange for 'a couple' of practice matches ahead of the next-anticipated Australia Test series, which is slated to begin on December 6.

There have been ample debates and discussions over lack of ample warm-up matches for India ahead of foreign series. India had scrapped the warm-up game before the South Africa series. And in England, they played a second-tier team of the Essex county club, which was shortened by the team management to a four-day affair. And Result? The number-one ranked Indian team in Tests have lost back-to-back overseas series in this year.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli was questioned about the same by in an interview with Winies legend Michael Holding on Sky Sports during the Test series. Kohli explained that in warm-up games, the opposition provided is often weak and the pitch is dissimilar to the real conditions offered during the series. And so, he reckoned that intense practice sessions are better that such matches.

However, Shastri stood of a different opinion. He told ESPN Cricinfo in an interview, "Absolutely not. Why would we be?" he asked. "You can only see the results (in the England Tests). Every time after the second Test we have improved. You can still get better. But why can't we be in that position in the first Test match?"

Although, the former cricketer did mention that a whole lot of practice games are also not possible for the team owing to a crammed schedule for India. "If you have two or three games against weaker sides we don't mind because it is a game," Shastri said. "But when you have a schedule as tight as this and when you have a memorandum of understanding that has already been formulated, with a choc-a-bloc calendar, there is very little you can do. Now, we have requested for a couple of (warm-up) games in Australia before the Test series. But is there space (to play those matches)? That is the question."

The series starts off on November 21 with a three-match T20I series, before the fourth-match Test series kicks off on December 6 followed by a three-game ODI series. This implies that India have 10 days to prepare for the Tests after the T20I series. "Ideally we would want two three- or four-day games before a Test series," Shastri said. "But do you have the time? For example, we have a T20 series in Australia preceding the Test series. There is a 10-day gap before the first Test. These are things that have been approved earlier. It is not in our control."

Have asked for couple of warm-up matches ahead of Australia Tests series, says India head coach Ravi ShastriDescription:India vs Australia Test series: After England debacle, Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has revealed that the team management has asked for couple of practice matches for the Australia series. Times Now